The Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) has urged the government to reduce the number of cigarette price tiers from four to three in the national budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The proposed merger of the low and medium tiers, they argue, would help discourage smoking among youth and low-income groups while boosting government revenue.
At an event held on Wednesday at the Bishwa Sahitya Kendra in the capital, ATMA members presented a set of recommendations calling for significant changes to cigarette pricing and taxation.
Under the proposals, the price for 10 sticks of the merged tier would be set at Tk90, with the high tier remaining at Tk140, and the premium tier rising to Tk190.
Supplementary duty (SD), value-added tax (VAT), and the health development surcharge (HDS) would remain unchanged at 67%, 15%, and 1%, respectively.
For non-filtered bidis, the proposed retail price is Tk25 for 25 sticks, while filtered bidis would cost Tk20 for 20 sticks, both subject to a 45% SD.
Smokeless tobacco products would also see revised prices: Tk55 for 10 grams of jarda and Tk30 for the same amount of gul, with a 60% SD applied.
The proposals further recommend retaining the existing 15% VAT and 1% HDS on all tobacco products.
Speakers at the meeting emphasized that adopting these measures could generate an additional Tk20,000 crore in revenue for the government—funds that could support national development goals and public health initiatives.
They also warned that these reforms could prevent as many as 1.7 million premature deaths, including nearly 900,000 among the country’s youth.
Despite the potential benefits, participants noted that the tobacco industry continues to resist change through a sustained disinformation campaign. ATMA called on the government to stand firm in the face of such efforts and implement the proposed reforms.
The meeting, attended by 49 members of ATMA, also reviewed the alliance’s recent activities and strategic priorities.